Testing with the DM&EE in the 1970's

The author was employed in the Testing & Performance Section of the Department of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering (DM&EE) at the RTC, Derby between 1971 and 1974 during which time I was involved with testing in a number of different areas.

I worked initially on the 'Stress & Vibration' section which ran Test Car 4, the old WR dynamometer car converted in 1961 from a Hawksworth corridor coach and now preserved at Carnforth. When it first arrived at Derby to join the DM&EE's fleet of vehicles it was still in chocolate and cream livery, although it had been repainted into red and blue by the time I first saw it.
Test Car 4 Test Car 4 in the EDU workshop in 1982

Colin Marsden

 Here is a list of the major tests with which I remember that I was involved with in the first year - there were probably a lot more which I've forgotten.

Click on the link for more information and pictures

bulletClass 73 electro-diesel problems
bulletEdinburgh-Glasgow push-pull
bulletSR PEP stock
bulletTyre shelling tests on class 86's
bulletHigh speed tests at Cheddington
bulletLowliner ride testing
bulletClass 86 Load Measuring Wheel

 I later moved to the 'Freight' Section  where I was involved with acceptance testing on freight vehicles. Pre-Nationalisation and BR conventional leaf spring suspension four wheeled wagons were commonplace in those days and the freight vehicles we tested were amongst the first of their type with modern suspensions. Both Gloucester C&W and BSC pedestal suspension were fitted to various new-build 4-wheeled vehicles. Bogie vehicles at the time were fitted with either Gloucester 3-piece bogies or later Y25C bogies. See the freight testing pages for more details.

A flavour of the contemporary scene on the WCML during the early 1970's

Click on the pictures for a bigger image - All photos are the author's unless otherwise credited.

Brand new Brand new ex-works 87001 pictured round the back of the ETD at Crewe in 1973.
1T20 1T20 headed by AL6 No:E3124 passing Tamworth on 3rd September 1972.

Steve Redfern
Stafford Two AL5's (later class 85) are shown at the north end of Stafford station sometime in April 1973.
1A41 AL6 locomotive E3156 pictured at Amington, between Polesworth and Tamworth, with 1A41 on 1st March 1973

Steve Redfern
South of Crewe AL5 E3076 hauling a car train passes the test train somewhere on WCML in the early 1970's
8A19 E3187 with 8A19 unfitted freight pictured at Alvecote, south of Tamworth on 13th March 1973

Steve Redfern

After about two years I moved back to the 'Stress & Vibration' section and was involved with further testing on class 86 locos in order to solve the problem of high track forces which were being imparted to the WCML due to their nose-suspended traction motors and high unsprung mass. The original Class 86 locos were very bad riding vehicles and used to 'bounce' alarmingly on certain track defects - evidenced by patches of white on the track - the dust from pulverised ballast!.

One locomotive was fitted with resilient wheels having a flexible connection between wheel and axle. Known as SAB wheels after their manufacturer, locomotive E3129 ran extensive tests with these wheelsets fitted.

These experiments also saw some of the locos being  temporarily fitted with class 87 bogies and finally the Flexicoil suspension was fitted to selected members of the class.
Flexicoil suspension A close up of the Flexicoil suspension as fitted to class 86/2 and 87's. Note that the locomotive is sitting on curved track.

Author's collection
SAB wheels tests AL6 bo-bo No:E3129 fitted with SAB resilient wheels at the head of a test train somewhere on WCML in the early 1970's. From the body profile of the coach it was probably the ex-LMS vehicle Test Car 3

Mick Wright

In April and May 1973, prior to opening the northern section of the WCML between Weaver Jcn (north of Crewe) and Glasgow, a number of performance tests were carried out between Carstairs and Beattock station over a couple of weekends. I remember staying at Lockerbie in a flash hotel on one test and in an ex-LMS 12 wheeled sleeper in the bay platform at Beattock station on another.

One test I remember was operation with two class 85 locomotives either end of a rake of five coaches. The tests were carried out over the weekends including overnight to maximise the value of having the line to ourselves.
86 202 with TC4 on Beattock On May 3rd 1973 locomotive 86 202 is pictured at Auchencastle with a 600 ton test train including the ex-Western Region dynamometer car Test Car 4 and banked by Class 85 E3082

D Cross
86 202 at Beattock The same train pictured in the loop at Beattock station 

D Cross

More pictures and pages will be added as time permits

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